the domain of the albatross

We've crossed 60 south and have picked up a bunch of albatrosses
(albatri?) along the way. Truly magnificent -- they swoop down right
above the waves and seem to have no problem with 30 knot winds. In
fact some of the bigger ones apparently won't even fly until the
winds are strong. They'll just bob in the water. I guess it takes
way too much energy to flap their winds to make it worthwhile.

Most of the ones we're seeing ONLY have about a 6 or 8 foot wingspan.

We hit a period of 50 knot winds and rain earlier today and lost the
birds. But we are now suffering the aftereffects -- big waves, the
first to really move the ship up and down. Good timing for the
pingpong finale. But these guys are so good it didn't even seem to
affect their game.

It does affect my ability to stare at a computer screen though, so
excuse the brevity on this report. Finishing my sections of the
cruise report took away my energy for writing.

670 miles to the straits of magellan, then 20 hours to P.A. from
there. Yee-haw!